Shelter: Twist In The Wind
by Aozoran
Summary: Sixth in the Shelter Series. A temporal explosion leaves Raf, Bee and Silverbolt stranded on Pre-War Cybertron with no obvious way home and a lot more danger than they realise.
1. Part 1: Chrono

**Author's Note: This takes place just after Part 5 of Voice In The Wilderness. Though I think a lot of people finally get a few questions answered in this chapter. LOL**

**Disclaimer: Own nothing? SIGH!**

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><p><strong>Iacon, Cybertron [Pre-War]<strong>

Awareness was slow to return to Silverbolt, his entire body tingling from the after-affects of whatever had struck him hard enough to render him incapacitated. There was a soft brush of something warm against his chassis, the sound of a voice calling to him, attempting to gain his attention. Was that what had awakened him?

"Silverbolt?"

The word was in English. His name in English.

"Rafael." His vocal components were raw, his servo lifted to gently catch the young human in his palm as he slowly sat up, his gyros spinning slowly, leaving him dizzy and disorientated. "Are you undamaged?"

"Yes… but… _Bee_…" Brown eyes were wide as they gazed up at Silverbolt with worry reflected in their vibrant depths.

"Hold on, Sprite." He carefully set the boy down on the ground, allowing his systems to correct themselves before he was reaching out for the unconscious Bumblebee only a few yards away. One servo lightly brushed down against the yellow mech's cheekplate softly, before brushing a thumb lightly over fuel lines and feeling the thrum of the mech's fuel pump working without a hitch. Running a quick scan, he was offering Rafael a small reassuring smile. "He's alright, just got knocked offline by the impact."

A soft little whimper escaped Bumblebee, his blue optics flickering online slowly, head tipping to one side and against Silverbolt's fingers, letting out a soft chirp of relief.

"You're alright, Little Bee. A little singed…" But they seemed to be alright. It was only then that the sounds of the world finally invaded their quiet alley way where they had 'landed'. They were familiar sounds, ones that made him turn towards the nearest street and freeze in shock as Cybertronians strolled past the entrance chattering to each other and looking as untouched by war as…

Suddenly his communications systems crackled, the circuits beginning to tune in a message that was coming in. _'Hey, Bolts. Where the slag are you? I mean you were meant to be here half a joor ago.'_

"Dion." It was a croak of raw sound from Silverbolt, his aft meeting the ground with a soft 'thump'. Shaking his head slightly, he rubbed his servos across his facial plates knowing that somewhere on that very planet there was another version of himself that had been caught up in bailing out one of his brothers from an Enforcer holding cell after a rather nasty brawl. He could almost hear his own reply, knowing somewhere out there he was making that call.

Both of them edged their way towards the street, Rafael kept behind them so that the small organic wouldn't be noticed for the moment by anyone passing them by and questioned about the child's presence.

Iacon shone brilliantly in the afternoon light, the Celestial Spires glinting gold, the windows reflecting the wash of radiant colours streaming through from the upper atmosphere and cloud formations. The entire city was humming with so much energy and life, every street was filled with families, couples and individuals going on about their days as if nothing was amiss and no war had ever touched them.

Bumblebee's doorwings flared wide as his head tipped back, a strangled sound escaping his vocal components when he was given the chance to witness something he had never before even glimpsed. He had been forged during the early stages of the war, where riots that shattered the shimmering spires and the golden streets were cratered and covered in debris. _'This...' _

"Come here, Sweetspark." Silverbolt wrapped an arm around the staring scout and tugged him back against his chassis, tucking doorwings down and making sure both of them were out of the way of passersby. "I know what this must be like for you." His voice was low, reassuring, but telling the mech that this was neither the time nor place for sightseeing. "Trust me... I feel the same way. This place is definitely not where I expected to end up."

_'Cybertron is alive... Silverbolt. The people, the city... everything is...' _

"Is long since gone." Sighing, he took a good look at the small Cybertronian curled protectively into his arms and at the Earth based designs they were both sporting which would definitely get them noticed the moment they were out on the street properly. "Do you still retain your Cybertronian alternative mode?"

A slight nod was his response.

"Use it, Sweetspark."

Stepping back, Silverbolt was accessing his own internal information core and his entire frame shimmered for one long moment, his armour shifting, the colours changing from the bright silver and grey to white and pale lines of gold. Along the edges of his armour and across his partially revealed plating symbols that had previously been hidden were once again exposed and informed the world of both his military rank and status as the sparkling of one of the original Primes.

Bumblebee's brilliant yellow paintwork softened, doorwings elongating and his facial plates shifted revealing the mech's mouth for once. The rich golden-yellow armour was edged in black and grey, the mech clearly swallowing hard while he watched for Silverbolt's approval, and offered a small smile when he gained it.

"Why do you need to do that?" Rafael questioned softly, carefully stepping up onto Bumblebee's hand when the Cybertronian offered it out and lifted him up to optic level. "I thought..."

"Cybertron had a strict caste system in place before the War," A fingertip lightly trailed across his etched markings letting out a soft sound of discomfort, his head turning away slightly. "It made life extremely difficult for those who wished to be something other than what they were 'labelled' as being. Each caste was given a value... one that could not be escaped. I am of the Warrior Caste, but I am also considered to have the value of being the offspring of one of the High Councillors, which means... I am due more respect than most." Jaw clenching slightly, his fingertips brushed across his face, knowing that this had been the one thing that had always set him apart from his brothers, he had been the true sparkling of Alpha Trion and they _knew_ it.

"So what does that make Bee?"

The scout's doorwings twitched in concern, pale blue optics meeting Silverbolt's for one long moment and asking the exact same question.

"Don't worry yourself, I will take care of both of you until we can figure out exactly how to return to where we belong." His head twisted back and he caught the glimpse of several last Chronoton particles shimmering in the air just where they had been sprawled before they finally faded back into nothingness leaving them stranded in the past on a Cybertron that only one of them knew. "I have a feeling... I'm going to end up having to deal with..." His mouth clamped shut before he could say the name, knowing exactly what most people's responses were to when he said he was the sole sparkling of _Alpha Trion_. "This way... we should get moving before someone picks up anything amiss."

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><p><strong>Celestial Spires, Iacon, Cybertron [Pre-War]<strong>

Bumblebee sat on the edge of the couch, his optics glancing towards the second bedroom where Rafael had finally fallen asleep on the pillow of the berth, the boy exhausted from the day. Though it was only a few seconds before his optics immediately sort out the tall powerful frame of the Aerialbot who stood before one of the massive windows, wings silhouetted against the brilliant lights of the city bustling around outside. In all his existence Bumblebee had never known such peace, where there were no more battles to fight, no enemy stalking the shadows ready to strike them down without warning.

_'Silverbolt.' _

Leaning forwards with one arm against the window, his optics shuttered at the sound of the younger mech's voice, his spark clenching in response. "I wanted nothing more than to see you safe." Fingers clenching slightly, the Aerialbot's shoulders drooped sharply, his strength seeming to slip straight out of him. "I have only ever wanted to see you safe... It is a physical pain within me to know that you are out there fighting alone. You have no idea how many times I..." His fist thumped against the transparent aluminium alloy, his forehead dropping against the cool surface, optics shuttering against the beautiful unbelievable sight of Iacon alive with so many sparks.

_'I missed you.' _

"As I have you, my Little Bee, every moment of every orn..." Shaking his head, he swallowed the lump that seemed to be forming in his vocals.

_'How long were you on Earth?' _

"Four orns. I arrived with Alpha Trion."

Blue optics widened at that, though his servos clenched slightly, Bumblebee honestly didn't know what to make of those words or the fact that Silverbolt and others had been present on Earth when so much had been happening for them.

"I know what you are probably thinking." Pale blue optics shuttered tightly, his forehead dropping to rest against the cool surface once more, "Trust me I thought the exact same thing for a very, very long time. Why the secrecy? What did we have to hide?"

_'Will you trust in me? Let me aid you?' _

Silverbolt turned around at that, his gaze taking in the younger mech and really seeing him in that moment. For all his battle experience, to many Bumblebee was still barely old enough to be considered... _adult_. The Aerialbot's wings flickered and he took in the insecurities that lined every inch of the mech's features, the shadowing emotions that darkened usually clear optics. Bumblebee was asking Silverbolt to treat him to look beyond anything that lay on the surface, to trust in the spark that resided within the mech's chassis.

_'I know... I'm...' _

"I believe in you, Bumblebee, I always have." Striding forwards he dropped to his knee joints before the mech, drawing both servos into his own and drawing them up to his lips, pressing a soft kiss against the back of them. "I have always had faith in you. It is not your age or inexperience that has kept me silent and away from you. My... father demanded it of me." His wings drooped at the thought of his father, at the decay that clung to every inch of Alpha Trion's frame. "I could not refuse him when he is slowly malfunctioning... slowly... He asked me to remain with him."

_'But you were the one to come through the GroundBridge following the distress signal.'_ Now that opened up a whole new can of cyber-viruses. _'Where...?'_

"How about I start from the beginning? It makes far more sense that way." Silverbolt shifted up onto the couch beside the smaller mech, keeping the slender servos curled within one of his own, fingertips lightly stroking over the back of them softly. "Humans have been aware of the Cybertronian race for well over a hundred and fifty years even since they found the first deposit of Energon and happened to awaken a guardian in the process. An Autobot ship responded to the guardian's presence on Earth and encountered the scientists and archaeologists who were trying to make sense of what they found and the half awakened guardian they had found. It was during those first few orns that Cybertronian and human found common ground and developed a mutual friendship of sorts, like you have with Rafael. That friendship spawned a... society called ASPECT. You wouldn't believe what it stands for..." It actually got a chuckle from Silverbolt. "Allied Species for a Peaceful Existence, Cybertronian-Terran."

"It has been one of my father's 'pet projects'." Now this was the part that made Silverbolt almost pale if he could, his fingers rubbing together softly, his optics dimming. "So were the Autobots and the Dark Guard. Everything has been 'encouraged' along by him, he gives them guidance, support... everything he claims was for me so that I would have peace, that I would have freedom from the Decepticons he knew he could not stop."

Bumblebee's optics took in the mech's features and managed to draw his hands out of Silverbolt's grasp so that he could capture the handsome face between his palms and draw it down so that he could gaze into the vivid blue optics and see all the emotional turmoil that existed right there. Thumbs sweeping over the warm cheekplates, he offered his reassurance silently, saying in that moment he would never judge this mech on the actions of those whom had done so much in his 'name'.

"I am all he has. Alpha Trion is dying, when he left the safety of Cybertron and the regenerating affects of Vector Sigma his frame began to disintegrate, but I think it was already starting to even when he was on Cybertron. I am the reason he made the Aerialbots... he wanted to hide me amongst many at times... hide that I was his sparkling, that within me was something no one but he carried."

"The reason that Alpha Trion is currently on Earth is because we finally have proof that the Lost Legion of Primus has been located... their city is somewhere beneath the Earth's surface." His face pressed into the warm fingers that brushed against his cheekplates, allowing his optics to shutter and just enjoy the soft caresses, relieved that he would be able to talk to someone about all this. "The energon deposits on Earth are _radial_ in pattern. They were what leached out of the City's supplies and crystallised near to the surface, or at least that was what has been surmised. Alpha Trion requested Firestar locate the city before MECH does using the planetary mapping we have done of Earth to locate all of the different deposits. The Aerialbots have been destroying the Decepticon mining operations and hacking their systems to add in the areas that have previously been mined to have a complete picture."

_'I thought they were a myth, a story told between soldiers of something...'_ Bumblebee shook his head slightly, attempting to allow all the information to soak into his mind. _'But I guess if Dark Energon can exist, why can't the Lost Legion?' _

"The Legion took something off Cybertron. Blaster discovered it... or at least that is what his last transmission recorded before the Ark vanished and apparently crashed on Earth." The entire world was a mess or at least that was what it seemed like half the time. "The Heart of Primus."

_'If you could prove that it exists... if you can show...'_ Head tipping to the side, he let out a chirp of quiet hope.

"Yes. Proof that Primus is _real_, that we are truly the Children of Primus, his creations. It would give us a common point of reference, something that all would respect. Could you imagine what true peace would be like?" Silverbolt's head turned to gaze out of the window at the world beyond the transparent surface, at the traffic that flickered and danced through the many layers of streets that made up Iacon. "Not this _construction_ of perfection and 'peace', but a true lasting concord and amity between all of our race and those of others. One that would leave no Cybertronian to suffer as so many do every day in this seemingly beautiful world."

_'Could it happen?'_ Bumblebee shifted forwards, his hands lightly tugging Silverbolt's helm back around to face him, his palms sliding up around to the back of that helm and gently drew it downwards. _'Could such peace truly happen? All I have ever known is this war, I don't even know what peace looks like.'_

"I know it could."

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><p>Bumblebee sat quietly, his helm propped up in one hand, gazing out at the world beyond the windows and watched the first rays of sunshine slowly begin to brighten the distant horizon, lighting over the golden domes and spires of Iacon, making the entire city almost seem to sparkle like a polished jewel on Cybertron's crown. His hand lightly rested on the silver-white helm settled in his lap, fingertips stroking gentle little circles across the smooth metal, his audios were filled with the sound of Silverbolt's recharging systems and slowly pulsing spark.<p>

He had never experienced anything quite like that moment, not in all his vorns had he ever just watched a sunrise and felt a such peace, even if it was a fabrication. The scout knew that the world would intrude once more, it was only a matter of time before reality would come crashing back in and snatch away the only solace he had ever known, the _only_... His blue optics flickered down to drink in the sight of the peacefully resting Aerialbot, the mech's wings twitching slightly as they rested over the side of the couch, the tip of one almost touching the floor.

A fingertip lightly traced the edge of one glorious wing, stroking across the hypersensitive metal and hearing the soft groan escaped Silverbolt in response to the gentle caress. A smile touched the corners of the mech's lips, but he didn't stir and wake, continuing on in thankfully peaceful dreams.

"Tease." Silverbolt murmured softly against Bumblebee's tanks, his lips grazing against them lightly, nuzzling the scout softly and settling in a little closer against him.

_'I didn't mean to wake you.'_ Bumblebee responded, stretching out to pull the thick thermal blanket a little more over the strong shoulders of the Aerialbot, just not wanting him to move quite yet.

"You didn't. I couldn't recharge anyway..." Though his voice was betraying the fact that he could so easily slip back into recharge, exhaustion filling his every word.

_'Thankyou.' _

"For?"

_'Everything.'_ The Autobot couldn't help but offer the other mech a sweet little smile, wishing for all the world that his vocal components had been damaged beyond repair. _'For trusting me last night with such secrets.'_

"There has never been someone I trusted more than you, my Sweetspark." And there never would be again. There had always been a connection between them, something that couldn't be denied no matter what either might have said at one point. It was an attraction, one that had grown with both of them until it was a part of their spark, a part of what made them who they were. Fingers lacing through Bumblebee's smaller ones, he drew them down and against his chassis just over his spark and clasped them close. "I won't leave you again, Bumblebee. I... I don't have the strength to or the will."

_'And I wouldn't let you.'_ Bumblebee's lips twitched upwards, his head dipping down and he pressed a kiss to the tip of one trembling wing. _'Not anymore, not when we both know that what we have is something so... precious.' _

"We still need to work out however exactly how we got here... and how we are going to get back."

It was only a matter of time before someone noticed that there were actually _two_ Silverbolts... and that there was an organic on Cybertron. Yet, neither mech could truly bring themselves to deny the moments of peace this explosion had gifted them with. It was clear someone had been attempting to protect them by actually shifting them within the time stream so that they wouldn't be 'present' when the MECH soldiers stormed what remained of the base. However, whoever had used a Chronoton bomb had definitely used raw material for its construction which would explain why it had actually sent the three not only back far into the past, but also all the way to _Cybertron_.

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><p><strong>Hope you guys like it! Bumblebee and Silverbolt is a pairing that I'm still working on the interactions for XD but I'm sure they will grow into it. <strong>


	2. Part 2: Components

**Author's Note: This gives a little explanation for some of the events that are going to be happening in Fragmentation. "Twist In The Wind" and "Fragmentation" are generally occuring at the same time at the moment. Hope you like Shockwave's little surprise! There is a lot more to that but it makes for much drama. **

**Disclaimer: Own Maxwell Darby, ASPECT and Silverbolt's 'mother'.  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Iron Cove, Washington, Earth<strong>

Laughter escaped First Aid as his helm breached the surface of the water, his head tipping back as he allowed warm sunshine to spill down across his face. Droplets slowly cascaded down the length of his bare frame, his entire body arching upwards in delight spinning around lazily, feeling a touch light-headed from the prolonged submersion. There just had to be something said for a dip in the cool ocean on a brilliant hot day like this one.

"First Aid." Ratchet stood on the sand the GroundBridge closing just behind him, both his optical ridges lifted in shock at the sight of his bondmate out in the cool waters of the private little bay far from civilisation where they would not be spied by humans. "What are you..." Blue optics widened ever so slightly when First Aid slowly began to walk up through the water towards Ratchet, revealing that there was nothing but sleek plating beneath that surface.

"I wouldn't have started without you if you had been _prompt_." The corners of his mouth turned upwards, one hand resting on a slender hip, his optics flashing brilliantly at Ratchet in amusement at the shock on the other's features. "I mean honestly how long does it take to extricate yourself from Medbay?"

"The wounded..."

"Have plenty of people tending to them." Pouting slightly, First Aid's hand slipped into the water and flicked droplets all over Ratchet, his optics immediately focusing on the few that had landed on his bondmate's lips. "We need this time, Ratch. I need this time with you. No stress, no alarms, no enemies approaching, no worrying about Optimus."

"But..."

Ratchet was hit with a wave of water, filling his mouth and actually making him cough out the salty fluid. His optics narrowing dangerously on his bondmate, knowing that when First Aid waged war, the whole world honestly needed to run for cover.

"I'm fragging important!" The smaller medic blurted out, storming out of the water and straight to Ratchet, one finger poking at the broad chassis and somehow looking dignified even though he was bare of armour. "And I want to _feel_ like I am."

Ratchet immediately reached out for his bondmate, both hands curling around the slender jaw and lifting it, his mouth immediately finding that soft one and devoured it. He refused to let go until the smaller mech was practically melting against his chassis, blue optics dimmed with the heated pleasure of their shared kiss.

"You are." Gathering his bondmate tightly to him, he buried his face against the curve of the mech's neck, tucking First Aid against his chassis, spark to spark. "I..." Ratchet's face pressed in a little harder, not wanting his bondmate to see the pain that was etched across his features. His palm pressed against the back of the silver-blue helm, caressing it ever so gently, desperately to reassure his other half of just how much he did matter. Their bond flared back open, the emotions flooding into it and spilling over. "I... I did not know what to do."

"That is what you have me for, Ratch. You have me."

"I wish for you to only see good in this world..." Ratchet let out a shaky rush of air, his optics slowly drifting half shut, wishing there was more he could say and do to be able to express himself to his bondmate.

"You are always trying to protect me." First Aid sighed softly, fingertips slowly trailing along the length of his bondmate's chassis, stripping the white and red armour from the strong frame, his mouth touched against the sensitive spot just beneath his bondmate's jaw lightly. "Always trying to shield me from what you feel." Slowly he traced the complex scars that ran the length of Ratchet's exposed plating, feeling the intimate shudder that jerked through the mech. Optics shuttering for a long moment, he drew in the cool sea air into his frame and with it absorbed the emotions of his bondmate through their bond, getting a taste for all that Ratchet was attempting desperately to hide.

"I am still learning." And Ratchet surrendered to his beloved, willingly giving himself over the sensations he was feeling under the tender certain touch of his other half. "Forgive me?" Blue optics were pleading with First Aid.

"You are always forgiven, Love." First Aid optics closed as his hands lifted, finally sliding up to Ratchet's helm, drawing the other mech into the embrace of his recently revived empathic abilities. Even their bond at times couldn't compare to the direct connection of minds, First Aid _becoming_ Ratchet for a few moments, experiencing things thought the mech's optics.

The medic was practically purring, dipping his head down and basking in the sensations that he could only liken to the intimacy of a full spark merge. Memory files were flickering on and off inside of Ratchet's memory core, the empathic ability mutating into something telepathic in moments of contact like this. It had always fascinated him, seeing such abilities with his own optics. Cybertronians with Psi abilities were rare and more so because of Megatron's massacre of them, knowing the danger that they could present to Megatron's troops if used by Autobots. He always had wondered if Skywarp's teleporting was actually like his First Aid's empathic abilities, something that was caused because of the mind and not something else.

"My brothers." First Aid's head tipped back to gaze into Ratchet's face, "Should not give you so much trouble over me." Fingertips lightly brushing against his bondmate's cheekplates in a tender little caress. "It's about time I made it clear to them their behaviour is unforgiveable if they continue to treat you as they do."

"I do not wish to be the reason you are at..."

"Slag them!" First Aid rarely showed any kind of temper, but the pain he sensed revealed within Ratchet's spark was enough to push him to it. "Streetwise and Hot Spot understand, Blades and Groove will too or I'll beat it into them."

"Love...?" Strong arms sliding around the still wet Cybertronian, he gathered the mech closer, trying his best to work out all the emotions that were streaming back the other way along their bond. "This is..."

"I'm tired of this war!" The smaller medic was leaning against the warmth of Ratchet's body, allowing the larger mech to keep him on his pedes and trusted in his strength. "I'm tired of seeing so many sparks damaged by all that has happened over these vorns. I've tried time and again to repair Ironhide's processors... but the damage." A rough sob escaped him, his tears overflowing and spilling down against Ratchet's bared plating, crying for the both of them for all that ran between them. "Prowl... he might never walk properly again and some of the others... Perceptor..."

And they were both sinking down to the sands as the weight of the war and the recent rise of MECH against their people struck them both at the spark.

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><p><strong>Private Gardens of Heavenly Silence, Iacon, Cybertron [Pre-War]<strong>

Massive silver towers of crystal and metal rose towards the sun, the shimmering prisms catching the light and filling the air with a thousand tiny rainbows, which danced across their armour and faces as they moved within the bases. The air was clear and pure, filled richly with the scents of living things, the massive spires acting like giant filters to take away all the contaminants that continually filled Cybertron's atmosphere.

"It's beautiful." Rafael whispered softly, his head tipping upwards to gaze at the shimmering piece of sky that wove its way between the tips of the spires. The boy's lungs drawing in the fresh clean air, relishing the coolness of it against his skin, appreciating the wonders that Cybertron seemed to hide in abundance. "What is this place?"

"My mother's garden." Silverbolt's lips twitched upwards in amusement. "It is what I call her, she is as close to my carrier as I will ever get. This is her realm, the area granted to her by Alpha Trion in payment for raising me as a sparkling." Holding a finger to his lips, he gestured for them to follow him along an intricate path between the massive pillars that stretched to the sky. The sound of the wind drifting through them was a soothing melody as the crystal resonated and seemed to chime softly.

"Brother."

Silverbolt stilled at the sound of that voice, his tanks rebelling and knowing that of all of his siblings there was only one that had a reasonably strong bond to him. It was far too early for Alpha Trion to have changed them and given them the ability to form Superion, too early for their 'brotherly' bonds to have formed, except for the one Silverbolt had long ago formed with the first of the Aerialbots Alpha Trion had constructed to be sibling to him to protect him from notice.

"Why is it I feel two of you?" Skydive stepped out of the shadows, his head tipping to the side slightly, his optical ridges drawing together as he regarded Silverbolt with confusion. "I wished to come to you last night... but I saw you at Dion's celebrations... and you seemed as if nothing was out of the ordinary, but you... I feel..."

The tall silvery mech swallowed slightly, shifting so that his larger frame was between Skydive and Bumblebee and Rafael, shielding the latter two with body. Even though Skydive would not usually be aggressive in any form of the word, he would protect Silverbolt if he thought there was a threat to him.

"Cenen." Silverbolt addressed the mech by his old Cybertronian name, the one that the mech had given to his younger brother when Alpha Trion had first gifted the other mech to him when he entered his second frame. "Have you told any of what you have felt?"

"No." Confusion flickered in Skydive's optics as the Aerialbot hurried from where he had been hovering between two of the spires waiting for their arrival. "Brother?" His hands reached out to lightly cup Silverbolt's jaw, dipping the mech's helm downwards so that their optics met for one long spark stopping moment. "It is you." Fingertips lightly brushed back and forth across Silverbolt's cheekplates in brotherly affection, his head tipping to the side as if attempting to make sense of exactly what he was picking up across the bond that wove them together. "You feel... older." Optics widened for a moment, before Skydive's head turned towards Bumblebee, head immediately snapping back to regard Silverbolt. "What are you doing here, Iskale? What has brought you so far from where you belong?"

"An accident."

"No accident." Skydive whispered, his optical ridges coming together as he examined Silverbolt, really gazed into the mech's pale blue optics and tried to get a reading on what was going on within him. "Iskale, what is it?" Hands reached out to lightly brush against the mech's shoulders, confusion turning into sudden understanding as he sensed the deep overwhelming pain that filled Silverbolt's spark. "Oh... my dearest Brother."

Bumblebee was immediately moving forwards, his servos wanting to reach out and touch the one mech who had always offered him comfort whenever he had needed it. Yet, Silverbolt seemed so far away, so distant from him in that moment that it almost broke his spark in two at not having realised it.

"I'm so sorry. I know how much he does mean to you." Even though Skydive and the others Alpha Trion had created over the past vorns might not feel the same about the usually cryptic and reclusive from all those around him. There were very few that could honestly say they knew Alpha Trion's mind, Silverbolt being the closest.

"Is she here, Cenen?"

"Yes. I greeted her earlier." Nodding slightly, he gestured for them to follow him through the winding paths between the pillars.

There in the brilliant pool cast by the sunshine streaming down through crystal sat a tall strange being who offered them all a smile of greeting from her perch on a bench of some kind. "I knew you would be coming to see me, Little One. Step forwards." A hand reached out towards Silverbolt, gesturing for the Aerialbot to come to her.

"Mother." And he dropped to his knees on the ground by her feet, his wings twitching slightly his joy at seeing her a palpable thing. His helm dipped forwards, soon being rewarded with the touch of her hand against the back of it, rubbing softly back and forth, soothing his sadness away. "I wished..."

"Ah yes." Her jewel red gaze flickered to Bumblebee, regarding the young scout with a silent curiosity, her free hand gesturing for the youngster to step forwards so that she could get a better look at him. "Greetings to you, young warrior and to you, child of the flesh."

Rafael blinking in surprise at being greeted as he shifted in Bumblebee's palm, getting a better look at the being that addressed him, and offered an uncertain smile of greeting. "Hello."

Bumblebee didn't know how to offer his own greetings to the unfamiliar robotic being who was perched before Silverbolt and regarding him with quiet amusement and interest. Doorwings twitched slightly, dipping low and bobbing his head, wishing he could do more to express his desire to leave a good impression.

"Do you know why Silverbolt sort me out, young Warrior?" She asked Bumblebee, slowly gaining her feet, her limbs moving gracefully around her slight body, her appearance was like nothing the scout had ever seen, her form as almost as translucent as the crystal pillars, her joints seamlessly put together as if she had actually been carved out of crystal and not forged of metal. "Though there are many reasons I know he has sort my council and guidance this day, but he wishes for me to arrange for a healing for you."

Bumblebee's optics widened, his hand lifting to lightly touch against his throat where his vocals had been damaged beyond repair, something that the greatest medics had not been able to repair. Head twisting, his blue optics widening on Silverbolt's face, catching the guilt that flared in those pale optics and not quite being able to understand its source.

"I wanted nothing more that to return what you had lost due to my failure." Silverbolt's voice was soft, his expression haunted.

_'You have never failed me.'_ Bumblebee whispered, wishing for once that he could truly say the words aloud, the true Cybertronian words, his spark thundering within his chassis as he regarded the mech he loved and clung to the hope that maybe, just maybe they would have a future together if only they could get back to when and where they belonged.

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><p><strong>Nevada<strong>

They were being stalked. It was the single thought that crossed his processors, the tingling awareness that swept down the length of his spinal plating. The scent of the humans within the house, the heat of their bodies moving within the thin walls of the structure were like an advertisement to any predator stalking for human prey. This predator he recognised with a chilling burn across his spark, his hand lightly brushing over his chassis, feeling the tingling heat burn its way through his systems. _Airachnid_.

The question remained as to whether or not it was Tailgate himself that the femme had detected or if she was after the humans. His optics took in the desert surroundings, followed the line of the cliffs and flat terrain gauging the best vantage points for an ambush.

_"No! Please...!"_

His blue-green optics darkened as the voice filled his processors, the screams of his partner filling his spark, remembering her tortured voice calling his name as his spark was slashed open beneath Airachnid's blade. Anger and pain had followed him for so long, a driving need for revenge having coloured his vision for far too long until reality had kicked him hard in the aft. Revenge and anger would do no good for a mech like him, no grief would ever clear the sounds of Arcee's voice from his processors.

Silently he slipped off into the darkness, the night offering him a sanctuary as he slipped his high powered rifle from its subspace pocket, the mech soundlessly scaling the closest vantage point that gave him maximum coverage of the desert surroundings. No forgiveness could be offered this time, no amount of compassion would be able to change his mind when it came to the need for this femme's death. There would be no stopping her the moment Megatron did indeed fall, the moment the control that had been so carefully coiled around her snapped, she would again hunt indiscriminately feeding off the pain of all she tortured and killed.

Slipping down onto his front on the still warm stones of the plateau, Tailgate drew his weapon upwards, the muzzle resting between two boulders as it pointed out into the darkness, directed at a gaping hole in the wall of steep cliffs where a ravine spilled out onto the smooth valley floor.

The soft click of metal on stone told him of her approach, his body shifting beneath the holographic camouflage he was slowly weaving around himself, slowly lowering his core temperature to match those of his surroundings. Only his scent remained in the air, carried by the breeze that swirled dust into the air.

_'I can sense you, Autobot.' _The transmission floated on the breeze, hovering in the air as the spider stalked across her new hunting grounds. _'I can taste... you are familiar to me. The taste of your fluids remains in my senses...'_

It was a strange sense of curiosity that stirred him to ask something of his enemy, to address the monster that had almost ended his existence, yet he immediately fell silent the moment something brushed across his senses. Though his head suddenly lifted, a chill screaming through every circuit he had as a warning screamed through his processors. A silver shadow swept down through the thin cloud cover that had gathered across the moon, dropping to the valley floor as he transformed.

Tailgate stilled suddenly, recognising instantly the moment his laser sight fell on the still partially damaged form of Megatron that this was not going to end well. It was the second arrival that descended from the heavens that truly struck fear into his spark, his body recoiling as he pushed his camouflage systems to maximum knowing he was no match for either. Discovery would mean death for Tailgate. Even Airachnid didn't dare move from where she had secreted herself within that ravine he had been targeting. The enemy that had plagued all of those who had fought amongst the femmes when they had attempted to retake Cybertron from Decepticon hands, Shockwave, a monster with no equal.

The wind lifted the words of the two mechs to his audios, sweeping up from the valley below.

"Such promise." The hollow drone of Shockwave's voice sent a cold chill down the spinal plating of any who heard it, the one unblinking optic studying the wounded Megatron with nothing more than a mech disappointed in a rather failed experiment. "Yet, I find that you fail in even the most basic of tasks."

"How dare you speak to me like this." Megatron snarled sharply, his arm lifting the cannon levelling squarely at Shockwave, his crimson optics were wild with the flicker of the insanity that had slowly been growing with the Decepticon leader for many vorns. The one brilliant mind had been brought down by the constant betrayal of those unseen enemies that had gotten so close to him.

"I do not dare." The cold optic seemed to brighten just a little, a dark kind of amusement dancing there for only a moment. "I however must say the original D-16 accomplished far more than you. As much of a failure Megatronus turned out to be in achieving the Empire I predicted he could build, he still managed to accomplish far more than you as evidenced by this planet."

"Original?" The mech slowly took a step towards Shockwave, the one who had first approached him and planted the seeds of ambition deep within his spark, encouraged the darkness to flourish and grow. The dark insidious whispers had always been there, sliding through his processors like a frigid touch that left the fingerprints of another behind. "I am _**Megatron**_."

"Indeed you are, _Megatron_." Shockwave agreed his humour seemingly growing while he was privately taking note of exactly what had gone wrong with this particular project. "But you are not the first that the people of Cybertron called out for. You are not Megatronus, the leader of the Lost Legion of Cybertron. It was a shame I was unable to examine him more closely, Skywarp proved most determined to not allow me to have access to my previous subject."

"I... am the Dominator, I... am the Destroyer, I am **Megatron**!" The raging thunder of Megatron's voice echoed through the darkness, his entire body pulsing with Dark Energon that pulsed through him, the taint of it having overwhelmed the mech's mind over time and reduced him to such a state that Shockwave found him now. "There is no other besides me. I am..."

A hologram suddenly shimmered into life before Megatron, bright and almost ethereal in the gloom of the Nevadan night. A mech as tall as Megatron stood before the Decepticon Leader, a mech who shared the same face, like a image of what could have been if Megatron had not followed the dark ambitions for power that called to his spark. Silver glinted brightly, similar in design to Megatron's own yet lacked the brutality that was etched in every line of Megatron's spark and frame and also in the carnage he had left behind him. Clear golden optics regarded Megatron with a brilliant intelligence and capacity for great compassion and strength of what a true leader needed.

Megatron's servo reached out towards the apparition, his claws suddenly slashing straight through it with a roar of anger and hatred boiling out of him in a sickening purple haze. "Are you in league with Optimus Prime, is this your kind of..."

"I merely wished to give you a short look at the original D-16. You are his clone, his lesser and I must agree with the conclusion that this experiment has been a failure in regards to you. It is logical to place one's faith in a single outcome, I decided once I had witnessed the riot on the mining platform C-14 that he was indeed the individual I had sort to unite Cybertron and provide me with the necessary path to power."

"I am no _clone_."

"Deny what you wish, your words are of no concern to me. I find that termination of this experiment is in order."

A bellow of outrage filled the night air as Megatron lunged towards Shockwave wanting to tear the mech apart with his bare servos. Yet something suddenly flooded his audios, the frequency of his inbuilt control collar abruptly activating and sending Megatron to the dirt at the feet of his creator. His howls echoed into the night, his sanity snapping completely and leaving only an animal in its wake.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm going to be working on another chapter for Fragmentation tomorrow! I was thinking it might be kind of fun to have Optimus Prime meet the REAL Megatronus, now that would be quite hilarious. Can you imagine his expression? It would be interesting also if Shockwave made an attempt to do something to Megatronus and Skywarp might get to rescue him. They are only ideas, but sound like fun!<strong>


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